"This is the EMU game, not the emo game."

I'm glad at least one of them recognizes the other's talent and that they'll be gunning for each other. If both of them redshirt, we could foreseeably have the two of them face off twice if Michigan is scheduled to face USC in the B1G-PAC cross conference game. Regardless, even with the scholarship reductions, I expect USC to be competitive and I can't wait to see these two battle it out.

I didn't call them the best football power though, I said they're not the best combo of football and academics. Currently, Stanford is better than USC in football as they've been to back-to-back BCS bowls and have beaten the Trojans 4 out of the last 5 years (including 3 straight). Obviously Stanford is also way ahead in academics even though USC is up there as well.

False. Sparty's won four in a row but do we call them a better football school? Not even close. The disparity between USC and Stanford is even greater. How many fans attend Stanford home games again? USC will be back to thumping Stanford real soon just as we are going to be getting back to thumping lil bro. There is little question USC is far and away the superior football program to Stanford, just as we are to Sparty.

I can see where this kid is coming from with this statement given his age and short term history of awareness to draw from.

He's probably just comparing USC to the other schools that have won NCs in the last 10-12 years (Bama, Auburn, Texas, Fla, OSU, USC, Miami) in which case he's right in saying USC is near the top academically.

It's interesting how well USC, Ohio State, and Penn State have recruited in the wake of ugly problems with their football programs. I think there's a lesson there about how valuable it is to be an historic powerhouse in today's college football.

I get a certain amount of satisfaction from seeing a now-defunct coach (St. Tressel) holding a trophy sponsored by a defunct retail chain (Circuit City).... they were both flawed and we are none the worse without them.

I think there's something a little different going on here. If the Penn State thing had happened at NC State or Purdue or Kansas State, I think it would have completely obliterated the program. There just aren't enough elite prospects who dream of going to those schools to sustain them through major crises. At a place like Penn State, you can get through it. Similar story for USC, where the penalties were reasonably severe.

I don't know if I would call it a "lesson" since you can't really take anything away from it. You either are a historic powerhouse or you aren't. But there certainly seems to be a major "too big to fail" aspect to it. Ohio is the Citibank of the college football world.

An is actually used in front of a vowel sound not just the "'an' before a vowel" rule. For instance, we say "a unform" not "an uniform". With the word honest where the "h" sound is dropped and the "o" is emphasized, the proper article to use is "an" (an honor vs a honor). However, with the word historic, both "a" and "an" are used based on pronounciation and geographic location. "An historic" is not a mistake, but neither is "a historic". However, in most academic papers and lectures, the phrase "an historic" is more commonly used. Apparently, it just sounds smarter.

The good news for Michigan fans, is that the same guy who told me that Max was a USC lock (when a lot of people were saying it was a toss up). Is the same guy who said that Ty Isaac is a Michigan lock.

Michael Hutchings mentions USC has the leader/favorites. And WR. D. Stringfellow only mentions Florida Gators. And Joe Mathis seems a bit excited about Alabama offer. Mentions Ohio and other schools. No Michigan. Just tidbits if not mentioned already.